Medical experts have said that excessive use of antibiotics, both in humans and animals, coupled with poor sanitation in hospitals, is making bacteria drug-resistant.
This poses a serious threat that could result in more deaths than cancer by 2050, said experts.
“The indiscriminate use of antibiotics, both by individuals for self-medication and by the livestock industry to promote animal growth, is contributing to the emergence of drug-resistant bacteria,” said Amita Jain, head department of microbiology in King George’s Medical University (KGMU).
“People who regularly consume non-vegetarian food and animals that are fed antibiotics to prevent illness and promote proper growth are interlinked,” said PK Gupta, microbiologist and former president of the Indian Medical Association in Lucknow.
He highlighted the potential issues when antibiotics combine with blood, affecting individuals on a regular diet.
Dr Sheetal Verma, joint organising secretary of MICROCON-2023 said: “Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are produced due to the unregulated use of antibiotics. In our country, these drugs are easily available over the counter, whether for human consumption or for use in poultry. Resistance is developed when certain patients do not respond to specific antibiotic therapy.”
Another area of concern highlighted by experts was hospital-acquired infections.
According to Vimla Venkatesh, hospitals bear primary responsibility for ensuring that no patient becomes infected due to bacteria or viruses present in another patient admitted to the same ward or hospital.
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